Definitionv1
Silent degradation: the gradual, undetected deterioration of
Silent degradation: the gradual, undetected deterioration of a cognitive agent's effectiveness that occurs during its stable operating phase, characterized by the absence of visible failure symptoms but progressive loss of alignment with original design or current conditions
Why This Is a Definition
This definition precisely establishes 'silent degradation' by naming the term, identifying its genus (gradual deterioration), and specifying its differentia (undetected, during stable phase, absence of failure symptoms, progressive loss of alignment). It distinguishes this from catastrophic failure and explains the mechanism of how it occurs.